unravel
by asareads
Summary: The sound of London seemed to cease with the beating of Sherlock's heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my words.

**A/N:** I am not a native of any of the countries mentioned herein so forgive me for any mistakes. This is also unbeta'd so if you see any discrepancies please mention them.

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The sound of London seemed to cease with the beating of Sherlock's heart.

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John visits the grave and he speaks quietly to it for the final he goes to Baker Street, says goodbye to , packs his things and goes to stay with Harry.

He doesn't plan to stay there long, just a week or two until he settles his affairs in the city. It's quicker than he expected; after the last round of goodbyes and quitting the surgery he has nothing left to do except the financials. Three days after, he waits with Harry at the airport for his flight. As the attendant makes the boarding call, Harry hugs him and in a rare show of sensitivity asks him if he's sure. His only response is to kiss her goodbye.

Approximately eight hours later he lands in New York.

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John's life in New York is unremarkable.

He gets through customs fairly quickly and sets up his life in America with a suspiciously small amount of hassle, something he does not question along with the substantial amount of money in his bank account. He goes shopping after his last change of underwear and spends a decent sum on clothes from shops he had never entered before. His personal shopper as they call them, outfits him in clothes that are both flattering and discreet. There are no woolly jumpers and John does not miss them.

The remaining money is spent on a brownstone in an area that is 'up and coming' according to his realtor. John doesn't care and rents the upper floor to a quiet couple who don't plan to have children. The rest he keeps for himself and turns it into a clinic.

The clinic grows steadily, becoming known for its high success rate with recovering addicts. It soon turns into a state of the art rehabilitation center and that is when John leaves. He sells his share and the building to the center and gives an endowment for the purpose of taking addicts who cannot pay. At his farewell party John's colleagues laugh and make light of the fact that they know next to nothing about him. He leaves unobtrusively and catches the next flight to Brazil.

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For the next five years John's life is a blur.

He visits a multitude of countries and lives in a fair amount of them. He returns to the States although he lives on the West Coast this time. He joins and travels with Greenpeace and Medecins Sans Frontiers; the latter makes him think about reenlisting but he soon decides not to after realizing that the nightmares he has are enough for him and he doesn't want more.

It is the army that makes him go to Australia. While he was considering his reenlistment John realizes that what he missed most was the night sky above the desert. While he trusts the luck that gets him through borders and financial troubles, John doesn't think that it stretches that far into Afghanistan. So he books a ticket to Australia and that night he dreams of stars.

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John lives in Australia for nearly a year before he meets Mary. He has grown accustomed to the heat and the slang and poisonous things. He has even grown used to the tea.

It is over that last that he meets her. He is discussing the merits of English tea versus Australian tea with the grocer when a voice interrupts. He turns and he sees one of the most stunning women he has ever met. Her hair appears to be on fire and the edges of skin are gleaming gold.

Then she moves out of the sun and says, "I can see you're English."

John startles and responds " Yeah I am, how'd you know?"

She laughs and says, " Well, besides the accent? Only the English have such a passion for tea."

Smiling wryly he admits " True enough, though it's a dreadful stereotype. I'm John by the way."

"I'm Mary." she says " Would you like to go out sometime?"

Thrown by her forwardness he says yes before he thinks. It turns out to be one of the best non decisions he has made all year.

The first night he took her home she questioned him living so close to the Outback. When he told her that it made him feel closer to the stars, she didn't say anything, she only looked at him and held him closer. That was the night that John decided to stay.

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John and Mary live a comfortable life.

She studies the history of the indigenous population and he works at a live in John's cabin most of the year and spend Christmas in Sydney with Mary's family.

They married three years ago and are currently deciding on having a child. Mary says yes and John says maybe.

John comes home from work one day and cooks dinner. He sets the table and lights the candles.

When Mary arrives he gets down on one knee and says " Mary, will you have a child with me?"

She laughs and says, " Yes, of course you silly— you."

John stands up and lifts her up, and carries her outside, snatching up a blanket on the way. They make love underneath the stars and as they lie together after John thinks how happy he is.

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The baby is due to arrive in three months and they have decided to name her Luna after the moon. John is busy assembling a crib when there is a knock at the door. Mary gets up to get it and returns a few moments later with a curious look on her face saying, " It's for you."

John stands and when he sees who it is, he feels like he can hear London again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my words.

**A/N:** I am not a native of any of the countries mentioned herein so forgive me for any mistakes. This is also unbeta'd so if you see any discrepancies please mention them.

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John shuts the door, turns around and tells Mary that she is not to let anyone in. Mary starts to ask why but stops when John interrupts and says, "No" in a tone so final that Mary knows that there's a story behind it. She wonders why he never told her.

Later that night she wakes up, bothered by the tossing and turning beside her. As she gets up to make tea as is custom when this happens she hears a name said with such anguish that she can hardly stand to hear it. As she nurses a cup she wonders who could make her John sound like that. She wonders why this Sherlock person has never come up before.

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It is days after "the visit" and they have still not spoken about it. John carries on as always except now there is a tense set to his mouth that Mary cannot recall ever having seen before. She is tempted to ask or look up the name she heard but every time she thinks of the way he sounded and decides that maybe she's better off not knowing.

So she too continues as nothing is wrong.

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The visitor comes by again and again, every Sunday at precisely the same time and asks for John. She does the same thing each time; she fetches John and leaves him to close the door. Once and only once does she vary from this routine. It is after John has closed the door and gone to their bedroom for the fifth time that she slips out and asks "How long?"

He looks at her with alien eyes and a searching gaze and says "However long takes."

She nods and goes back inside, rubbing away the chills that seem to have appeared from nowhere.

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It is five days aways from Luna's arrival and John is frantic with anticipation. He runs around making sure her room is finished and her things packed when he's not working, trying to gather enough time off. He's so busy in fact that Mary hardly sees him. She laughs at his worry knowing that everything will be just fine in the end.

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Luna was an easy delivery and a quiet baby. John adores her and Mary's heart feels complete. They have some trouble adjusting to the sleeping schedule, feeding times and other disruptions that come with a newborn but they work through it and soon they have a new routine.

Still every Sunday a knock at the door sounds.

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Luna is six months old when Mary gets the news. She makes tea and when John gets home she holds Luna tightly and says "They want me to teach."

John looks at her and smiles so wide that Mary is almost afraid to say her next line.

"It's in London."

John's face falls and Mary knows she was right to be afraid until he says "When do we leave?"

She stares in shock and he doesn't look at her when he says "I love you, you know more than I -I …"

He doesn't finish because Mary is hugging him tightly, Luna all but forgotten between them until she cries.

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They land in London and go directly to the flat John has bought. Mary didn't question the money or the niceness of the flat or the longer than usual silence at the door on that last Sunday. She simply carries on as always, setting up their house while John is out getting a job. When he comes back and finds their bedroom ceiling covered in glow in the dark stars he laughs and once again they sleep under the stars.

They slip into London as though they have been here all along. They make up a new routine and this one includes walks to the park, noisy tube rides, libraries, lots of people and Sunday night knocks. If John wakes her up more frequently with his nightmares, Mary doesn't breathe a word.

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Mary loves her job and John does too. He stays home with Luna and Mary can see how much he appreciates his time with her.

They take long meandering walks on Sundays that can go on for hours though Mary never fails to see that they always return in time for the visit. One Sunday someone comes up to him and says excitedly " John Watson! How good to see you, have you—" John clutches Mary's hand and walks away without a word. She gives him a questioning glance and he looks at her with eyes that are blanker than she has ever seen them. Mary's heart clenches and she knows that she can't let this go on.

That night when she opens the door she brings Luna with her and says "Her middle name is Emma" before she turns around.

The next Sunday she brings Luna and a cup of tea saying "It's a bit chilly."

This becomes part of the routine and Mary notices that the pauses between John leaving and returning are getting longer and longer. Mary never hears any voices though so one Sunday she rises and before she goes to open the door she says "Invite him in. It's about time."

She leaves and when she comes back John's mouth is relaxed in a way that it hasn't been for a very long time.

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She is formally introduced to him around Luna's second Christmas. He shows up carrying three wrapped presents and she looks at him and says "Come in, Sherlock. "

He looks startled but follows her anyway. John looks surprised but doesn't leave. Mary gets tea and they sit in silence until two presents are shoved in front of her. She accepts them with a smile. She unwraps a box of chocolates and a stuffed animal that is obviously meant for Luna. She looks up to show John and she sees that he is staring at a jug of milk. He stares and stares and then he starts laughing. Mary watches him and wonders what could be so funny about milk. She glances at him and sees him watching John too with apprehension and a softness that she knows is rare.

John stops and says "You finally got the milk, you mad bastard" and just like that all the tension dissipates from the room and their lives.


End file.
